NHS Sussex reminds residents to use the right services for care this Easter

Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs), Minor Injury Units (MIUs), walk-in centres, and community pharmacies are all available to support people with non-life-threatening health issues, providing expert treatment closer to home and often with much shorter waiting times than hospital emergency departments.

Gemma and her daughter Imogen recently visited Crawley UTC after Imogen injured her elbow during a football match.

“We’ve been here a few times in the past and we find it easy to use and very friendly. The waiting times are shorter, and A&E is obviously for much more severe problems,” Gemma said. “It’s nice and local for us, and it makes sure A&E is for the more serious incidents.”

Most patients attending a UTC or MIU are assessed, treated, and discharged during their visit. Services are staffed by experienced clinicians, with treatment summaries shared with the patient’s GP to ensure continuity of care.

Dr James Ramsay, Chief Medical Officer for NHS Sussex, said: “Our emergency services are here to save lives, and so for urgent issues that aren’t life-threatening, we’re urging people to consider the alternatives.

“Using services like pharmacies, NHS 111, and Urgent Treatment Centres helps people get the care they need quickly, and ensures A&E teams can focus on the most serious cases.”

Many of these services are open throughout the bank holiday weekend, including community pharmacies. Under the Pharmacy First scheme, pharmacists can now treat a range of common conditions without the need to see a GP.

A map of pharmacies that will be open on the bank holidays is available here.

NHS 111 is also available 24/7 online or by phone to help people get the right care as quickly as possible.

NHS Sussex is also reminding people to order any repeat prescriptions in advance of the bank holiday, and to practise good hygiene to help prevent the spread of illnesses like norovirus. Those with symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhoea should stay home and avoid contact with others for at least 48 hours after symptoms stop.

For more information on local health services or self-care advice, visit the NHS website or call NHS 111.